Double-Plus GOOD!
From an article in The Wall Street Journal, by Rachel Emma Silverman:
A few years ago when Bank of America Corp. wanted to study whether face time mattered among its call-center teams, the big bank asked about 90 workers to wear badges for a few weeks with tiny sensors to record their movements and the tone of their conversations.
The data showed that the most productive workers belonged to close-knit teams and spoke frequently with their colleagues. So, to get more employees mingling, the bank scheduled workers for group breaks, rather than solo ones.
A longtime laborer in the office-world am I. Yes, children, I’ve worn many masks and many day-job hats in the course of supporting my freelance writing habit -- word-processor, admin assistant, production associate, billing analyst, troubleshooter, transcriber, technical writer…
And if there’s one thing grandma has brought away from three decades of experience, it’s the many, many ways the people who write the checks peddle awful developments as exciting innovations in the workplace. The bad news is always delivered with wide, excited eyes and bright smiles.
“Isn’t this GREAT?” is the message, along with a hefty undercurrent of “Tell me it’s not great. Go ahead. I dare you.”
And now The Wall Street Journal offers the latest example, opening with a charming anecdote about how hooking workers up with sensors inspired the corporate micro-management of workers breaks. Workers were (ahem) encouraged to spend even more time with the people with whom they already spend eight hours a day.
Forget that blessed window of solitude when you can check your emails, or get in a quick private telephone call about doctor’s appointments, parent-teacher conferences, and appliance and auto repairs.
Of course articles like this always include one quick nod towards the obvious so it can be dismissed:
But there's a fine line between Big Data and Big Brother, at least in the eyes of some employees, who might shudder at the idea of the boss tracking their every move. Sensor proponents, however, argue that smartphones and corporate ID badges already can transmit their owner's location. In many cases, workers can opt out of participating in the sensor studies.
The above paragraph is worth breaking down and examining. It begins promisingly enough, with the writer putting on her frowny-face as she types out a reference to Big Brother. Then her face clears with relief as she undercuts it with (emphasis added) “at least in the eyes of some employees, who might shudder at the idea of the boss tracking their every move.”
Yes, indeed, certain malcontents aren’t on board with this brave new world! They just might want to hide things from the boss, like precisely how many seconds it takes to get from the water cooler to their cubicle, how long they spent on the toilet after lunch, and whether it was number one or number two.
And anyway, “in many cases, workers can opt out of participating in the sensor studies.”
See? Some nice bosses don’t force their employees to wear sensors that track every move, word, and vocal intonation! Can’t say fairer than that, can you? Of course, the ones who “opt out” - well, let’s just say their names will be remembered in HR. They’re probably the same disturbed, unproductive loners who were spending their breaks with an apple and a book before the all-seeing, all-knowing CEO instituted the 3:15 pm teamwork and calisthenics break.
The rest of the article consists of Silverman, whom I picture with wide, excited eyes and a bright smile, detailing the ways bosses have used the information they gathered to help their workers, like, making smaller conference rooms. She even quotes one employee who assures her he doesn’t mind those sensors at all! Really!
Ben Lin, an analyst at Cubist, says he didn't find the badges creepy once his bosses explained how the data would be used. His own report showed he changed his tone and gestures based on his conversation partner.
‘Subconsciously, you mirror who you are talking to,’ he says.
…no doubt carefully moderating his tone and making sure not to make any revealing gestures.
Because, of course, it’s all about the bosses looking out for their workers! It has nothing to do with control at all, and the boss really doesn't like the tone you used when you said that.
*
A few years ago when Bank of America Corp. wanted to study whether face time mattered among its call-center teams, the big bank asked about 90 workers to wear badges for a few weeks with tiny sensors to record their movements and the tone of their conversations.
The data showed that the most productive workers belonged to close-knit teams and spoke frequently with their colleagues. So, to get more employees mingling, the bank scheduled workers for group breaks, rather than solo ones.
A longtime laborer in the office-world am I. Yes, children, I’ve worn many masks and many day-job hats in the course of supporting my freelance writing habit -- word-processor, admin assistant, production associate, billing analyst, troubleshooter, transcriber, technical writer…
And if there’s one thing grandma has brought away from three decades of experience, it’s the many, many ways the people who write the checks peddle awful developments as exciting innovations in the workplace. The bad news is always delivered with wide, excited eyes and bright smiles.
“Isn’t this GREAT?” is the message, along with a hefty undercurrent of “Tell me it’s not great. Go ahead. I dare you.”
And now The Wall Street Journal offers the latest example, opening with a charming anecdote about how hooking workers up with sensors inspired the corporate micro-management of workers breaks. Workers were (ahem) encouraged to spend even more time with the people with whom they already spend eight hours a day.
Forget that blessed window of solitude when you can check your emails, or get in a quick private telephone call about doctor’s appointments, parent-teacher conferences, and appliance and auto repairs.
Of course articles like this always include one quick nod towards the obvious so it can be dismissed:
But there's a fine line between Big Data and Big Brother, at least in the eyes of some employees, who might shudder at the idea of the boss tracking their every move. Sensor proponents, however, argue that smartphones and corporate ID badges already can transmit their owner's location. In many cases, workers can opt out of participating in the sensor studies.
The above paragraph is worth breaking down and examining. It begins promisingly enough, with the writer putting on her frowny-face as she types out a reference to Big Brother. Then her face clears with relief as she undercuts it with (emphasis added) “at least in the eyes of some employees, who might shudder at the idea of the boss tracking their every move.”
Yes, indeed, certain malcontents aren’t on board with this brave new world! They just might want to hide things from the boss, like precisely how many seconds it takes to get from the water cooler to their cubicle, how long they spent on the toilet after lunch, and whether it was number one or number two.
And anyway, “in many cases, workers can opt out of participating in the sensor studies.”
See? Some nice bosses don’t force their employees to wear sensors that track every move, word, and vocal intonation! Can’t say fairer than that, can you? Of course, the ones who “opt out” - well, let’s just say their names will be remembered in HR. They’re probably the same disturbed, unproductive loners who were spending their breaks with an apple and a book before the all-seeing, all-knowing CEO instituted the 3:15 pm teamwork and calisthenics break.
The rest of the article consists of Silverman, whom I picture with wide, excited eyes and a bright smile, detailing the ways bosses have used the information they gathered to help their workers, like, making smaller conference rooms. She even quotes one employee who assures her he doesn’t mind those sensors at all! Really!
Ben Lin, an analyst at Cubist, says he didn't find the badges creepy once his bosses explained how the data would be used. His own report showed he changed his tone and gestures based on his conversation partner.
‘Subconsciously, you mirror who you are talking to,’ he says.
…no doubt carefully moderating his tone and making sure not to make any revealing gestures.
Because, of course, it’s all about the bosses looking out for their workers! It has nothing to do with control at all, and the boss really doesn't like the tone you used when you said that.
*